Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Bouncing a hockey puck on your stick can improve your handling skills, making you more comfortable with how the puck reacts to slight hits. It takes practice to develop sufficient control to bounce the puck repeatedly, but over time you will become comfortable with the required movements.BalanceThe first step is to learn how to balance the puck on the stick. Place it on the inside curve of your stick. Move the stick around slightly to get comfortable with the puck’s stability. Now flip the puck straight up in the air a few inches and try to catch it on your blade again after it completes a few rotations. Chances are you will drop the puck repeatedly at first, but over time you will get a feel for how to control its movement.Decreasing BounceFocus on minimizing the puck’s bounce by giving way as it falls onto the blade. In other words, absorb some of its downward force by dropping your blade slightly when the falling puck touches it. Decreasing the force of the impact minimizes bounce, making the puck easier to control. Freezing the puck also significantly decreases its bounciness. You might not find this necessary, but if you’re having trouble controlling the puck, placing it in a freezer for a few hours might make things easier.Bouncing the PuckOnce you can flip the puck into the air and catch it again, speed up the process until you can bounce the puck repeatedly without dropping it. Hit the puck higher to increase the difficulty. Some experienced players can flip the puck high into the air or bounce it off a wall before catching it again.ConsiderationsBouncing a hockey puck on your stick is challenging, but the activity has little relevance to the game. If you attempt to skate by your opponent while bouncing the puck off your stick, your opponent only needs to touch your stick to cause you to lose possession. Rarely, expert players manage to bounce the puck in the air during a game to keep it from competitors. But generally, keeping the puck on the ice provides much greater control, so beginners should focus on developing practical puck-handling skills.